People: PwC; Agencia; RFM Group; and more

PwC has today announced the appointment of Armoghan Mohammed as the new regional chair for the North.

He has been with the firm for 18 years and prior to taking up his new role was head of actuarial, banking & intelligent analytics.

With over 30 years’ experience Mohammed has worked across industry and the public sector.

He has a wealth of experience in designing and implementing solutions for PwC clients. His areas of expertise include financial services, energy and government and health industries.

Prior to joining PwC, he worked for Babcock Power, Lloyds Bank, Lloyds of London and CNA Financial (Chicago).

Mohammed, who is from Huddersfield, will be active in the market and the region helping to support clients with their post-COVID recovery plans.

He said: “I’m really excited to have the opportunity to lead our Northern business.

“My focus will be on continuing to build on the great work that has been delivered over the last few years and to help the businesses in the region grow using the strength and depth of talent we have across the North.

“The region is in a strong position and I look forward to helping shape our post-COVID plans and help navigate our clients through this challenging time.

“On a personal level I’m really looking forward to moving back to the North. I’m originally from Huddersfield and have strong ties to the region.”

Carl Sizer, PwC’s head of regions, said: “I am delighted that Armoghan has been appointed to the role of regional chair for the North.

“Armoghan, who is a Risk Assurance partner, brings a huge level of experience and broad connections to the role.

The North Region has played an important role in further building our regional presence and offers huge potential for Armoghan to take this momentum forward.

“I’m really proud of how our regions are responding to the landscape we find ourselves in and how our people have pulled together to support each other and our clients.”

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A business which works nationally and globally to deliver transformational programmes in health and justice has announced the first in a series of appointments as part of its new growth strategy.

Agencia, based in Hessle, has welcomed Ryan Smith to the new role of director of healthcare services, in which he will lead the company’s strategy to grow its range of clinical services.

Smith is a pharmacist with a wealth of experience in the commissioning and provision of NHS services, most recently holding a national operations role with Lloyds Pharmacy, part of McKesson UK.

He has engaged with Agencia in the past as a customer, supplier and partner and is familiar with the work of the company’s Primary Care Direct service in providing business support to health professionals including GP practices, pharmacists, local medical committees and primary care networks.

He has also worked with the Agencia team on ReWire, a service which is finding growing demand for its work to help patients who are addicted to prescription drugs.

Smith said: “Having seen first-hand the value that Agencia brings to its partners and commissioners, the decision to join this ambitious organisation was an easy one.

“At a time when the NHS and healthcare globally heeds innovation in service delivery, having the opportunity to be part of that with Agencia is hugely exciting.

“Having worked alongside Agencia I’m also very aware of the great potential the company has and I look forward to joining an organisation with such a positive culture and values.”

Helen Gibson, managing director of Agencia, said: “Ryan has impressed us through his collaboration with Agencia in the past.

“We believe that his technical skills and entrepreneurial thinking will significantly contribute to the development of our organisation as we look to deliver our healthcare strategy.

“Ryan’s appointment is a key part of implementing our growth strategy. We intend to make further key appointments to deliver our vision, creating and establishing further brand channels and service areas as we have with the Serious Crime Directorate, Primary Care Direct and ReWire, and continuing to unlock value for our commissioners.

“Our work is tackling some of the most complex issues of our time in order to transform lives across the globe.”

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Barry Marshall

Yeadon-based RFM Group, a property group specialising in construction, facilities management and maintenance, has welcomed two new construction team members.

Barry Marshall and Natasha Kolano will assist in the company’s ongoing growth.

Marshall joins as project manager. He brings a wealth of experience having managed construction projects for many high street names including Starbucks, Virgin Holidays and CBRE.

Alongside his extensive knowledge of delivering contracts in the retail and commercial sectors, he has a background in joinery.

He said: “RFM’s reputation for property expertise is unrivalled and it is great to join an ambitious company.

“I’m looking forward to getting involved in the latest schemes and particularly think the new MOD contracts starting in 2021 are really exciting.”

Kolano is the new supply chain manager tasked with dealing with contractors for all partners across all of the group divisions including Construction, Repair and Facilities Management.

Natasha Kolano

She has extensive construction industry experience with a strong focus on service and technology and is the first point of call for RFM’s supply chain.

She said: “We want our supply chain to be true partners, to feel valued with regular workloads without being over exposed.

“RFM Group’s level of technology and appetite for growth is refreshing and I look forward to further developing RFM’s robust processes and utilising their smart technology.”

The latest hires follow RFM’s recent purchase of sash window manufacturer Ventrolla and the Leeds-based Hevertech brand, as well as recent business wins with the Ministry of Defence and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

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FlamePro, an East Yorkshire-based manufacturer of life-saving garments for firefighters, is celebrating a string of recent appointments within the firm, following recent business success.

The specialist FR PPE provider has welcomed four new recruits over recent months.

Vicki Jackson has joined as internal sales executive, while Lorraine Costello, Zoe Colbeck, and Ellie Smith have all joined FlamePro’s NPD and design team.

The recruits joined shortly before and during the pandemic – a time of uncertainty for many businesses.

However, FlamePro managed to continued its operations throughout the UK lockdown, resulting in strong growth for the firm.

Tony Arnett, managing director at FlamePro, said: “We’re thrilled to have been able to welcome new staff during the last few months, which have proven challenging for so many of us.

“Every one of the new team members has been a huge asset to the business throughout this time, and has helped us maintain our growth across the brand.

“Like most businesses, we’ve had to adapt our ways of working and consider our existing supply chain processes throughout the recent months.

“I’m truly impressed with how the whole team have all adapted during this time and contributed to the growth of the company.”

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Advanced security and surveillance business, Synectics has appointed Dr Kerstin Wendt to lead its growing German business with major public transport operators.

Wendt becomes part of the Synectics team following 13 years in public transport operations and transportation technology businesses and will be based in the firm’s new Berlin office.

She will lead implementation of Synectics’ next-generation operational management system for S-Bahn Berlin (a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn) and head up the relationship with long-term U-Bahn client Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG).

Commenting on the appointment, Greg Alcorn, director of global sales and customer success at Synectics said: “I am delighted to welcome Kerstin to the business as we drive ahead with strategically important urban transport projects and customers.

“Kerstin is ideally positioned to develop our German business. Her experience within the urban transport industry and knowledge of digital technology in transport operations, will enable our clients to maximise their investment in our software solutions.”